Featured News

The rulemaking process for the implementation of the 2014 Dental Sunset Review Bill has just begun. As rulemaking progresses, the CDA will provide in-depth information on key topics to help answer commonly asked questions from CDA members. A common area of interest related to the Sunset Review Bill is the new continuing education (CE) requirement for dentists and dental hygienists.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently published a final rule putting additional restrictions on hydrocodone-containing drug products, moving them from Schedule III to Schedule II of the federal Controlled Substances Act. Earlier this year, the American Dental Association (ADA) joined several other health organizations in expressing concern over the move, which imposes additional regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions on persons who handle or propose to handle hydrocodone combination products, since hydrocodone drugs are often used to treat severe pain related to dental surgery.

In July, the State Board of Dentistry adopted a new policy aimed at reducing prescription drug abuse by better managing opioid prescribing. In short, the policy states that providers prescribing and/or dispensing opioids should:

As of July 1, the CHP+ dental program was expanded with the annual max increasing from $600 to $1,000 for covered children, and new periodontic, prosthodontic and orthodontic codes were added. These newly added codes include:

Mark Your Calendar and Join Us for an Event Honoring Congressman Cory Gardner
Colorado dentists will be hosting a fundraising event on Oct. 24, 2014 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. for Congressman Cory Gardner, the Republican candidate who is seeking the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Mark Udall. Cong. Gardner has been a good friend of dentistry, supporting the dental profession in his role on the House Energy and Commerce Committee (which oversees healthcare issues) and through his ongoing support of the Colorado Mission of Mercy (COMOM). Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for the event.

This past month, the CDA has lost two of its members.
Dr. Roberta Shaklee passed away on Aug. 29, 2014 after battling ovarian cancer for over two years. She began her career in dentistry nearly 40 years ago as a dental assistant and later became a dental hygienist and then a periodontist. Please click here to read more about Dr. Shaklee. In lieu of flowers, she wanted any gifts in her memory to be contributed to one or more of the following: Denver Hospice, History Colorado, Historic Denver, or the Dr. Roberta L. Shaklee Periodontal Excellence Award. This recognition is awarded to an outstanding Dental Hygiene Student from the Community College of Denver (CCD). Please contact Paige McEvoy at 4821 East Missouri Ave., Denver, CO 80246 to contribute to the award.

Dr. Jean-François Bédard passed away suddenly on Sept. 8, 2014. He graduated from dental school at the Universite de Montreal in 1993 and maintained a successful prosthodontic practice in Englewood, CO from 2001 until his death. The family requests donations be made in his honor to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at 262 Danny Thomas Pl., Memphis, TN 38105, or www.stjude.org.

On Saturday, the Colorado State Board of Dentistry published dates for upcoming rulemaking hearings related to the 2014 Sunset Review bill (HB14-1227). Four committees have been established to address topics addressed in the Sunset Review bill. Rulemaking will cover topics like anesthesia, continuing education, fines, licensing changes and more. Dates and details on the topics covered in each hearing are listed below. All meetings will be held at DORA’s facility at 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202.

The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District (Metro District), which serves the Denver metro area, has implemented new amalgam control requirements for dental offices in its service area. By February 19, 2015, dental offices served by the Metro District will be required to implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) for placement, removal and disposal of dental amalgam. These dental offices will also be required to install amalgam separators by August 19, 2015. The Metro District service area includes most of the Denver metro and surrounding suburban areas. Click here to see the cities and sanitation districts affected.

The Dentists Professional Liability Trust of Colorado Board of Directors is always working to attract new dentists into the plan. To further those efforts, beginning this month (August 1) if you, as a Trust participant, refer a dentist who applies and receives coverage from The Trust, you will receive a $200 (Visa/MC) gift card in appreciation for the referral.

The state recently released an updated draft of the rules outlining approved Medicaid dental benefits for children ages 0 to 20. A copy of the draft children’s benefit rule can be accessed by clicking here. The draft children’s benefit rule addresses coverage for exams, diagnostic imaging, preventive, restorative, periodontal, prosthetic, oral surgery and anesthesia services. The document lists code descriptions for procedures and any frequency limitations or prior authorizations required. This rule does not address adult dental benefits or children’s orthodontic benefits, as these topics are addressed in separate rules.